Railroad-spreader.



O. P. JORDAN, DEGD."

s1. & I. 0 JORDAN, nxsou'rons.

RAILROAD SPREADER.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7, 1909.

Patented June 27, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1 0. F. JORDAN, DEGD. SQK. 8: I. 0 JORDAN, EXEOUTORSJ RAILROAD SPREADER. APPLICATION FILED J UNB'I, 1909.

Patentd June 27, 19:11.

4 BHEETS-BHEET 2.

O. F. JORDAN, DEU'D.

s. K. & I. 0 JORDAN, nxson'rons.

RAILROAD SPREADER. APPLICATION FILED JUNIIB '1, 1909.

Patented June 27,1911

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

- 0. P. JORDAN, DECD S. K. & I. 0 JORDAN, EXEGUTORS.

RAILROAD SPREADER.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE7,-1909. 1 996,256, 1 v Patented'June 27,1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

- is a'full, c -as will enable others skilled in the art to To all whom it mam.-

OSWALD r. JORDAN, or onroaeoqrtmn JORDAN- nxnco'roa's or SAID a R.AILROAD-SPREADER.

Be it knownthat I, OsWALn F. JORDAN,

a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, Cof'ok county, Illinois, have invented a'certai'n new, useful, and Improved Railroad-S reader, of which the following iim, andiex'act description, such which it appertains to make and use the same. a a

My invention relates to improvements in machincsfor constructing railroads and has" particular reference to improvements in railroad spreade'rs, a class of machines used for distributing ballasting and other material and for surfacing road beds or ways.

' My invention relates further and particu- 7 lady to improved manually controlled power operated means for operating the'spreader wings.-

. Further my invention relates to a modification of the railroad spreader which is shown and described in United States Letters Patent No. 852,880, granted to me May 7, 1907, the present invention being in the nature of an improvement, whereby the spreader wings can be automatically oper ated through the medium of the spreader wing braces, which form a series of power devices for distending and retracting the spreader wings.

- The object of my invention is to provide a railroad spreader of improved and simplified construction.

A' particular object of my invention is to provide a simple, durable and eflicient rail road spreader, which shall be practically automaticin all of its operations and which may be controlled and operated by men-riding on the machine.

A further and special object of my inven- 'tion is to improve the construction of the wings to the end that systems of braces belonging to the spreader they may be used as the means of distending and retracting the wings and also serve'to rigidly brace the wings 'sition.

when in operative or working po- 7 Still furtherobiects of my invention will appearhereinafter.

1 My. invention will be more readily unden stood reference tothe drawings foljining a partof this specification a d-L wh h; v i

accompanying a Figure ,1 is a side elevation of a railroad Specificatioii of Letters Patent... Application filed June "7, 190?).

. spreader embodying my invention.

Patented June 27, 1911. Serial at. 506,491

' Fig. 2 1s a plan view thereof; Fig." is a rear elevation of my improved railroad spreader; Fig. 4 is an enlarged bottom plan view, from beneath, showing the engines and connecting parts for distending and retracting the spreader wings; Fig. 5 is" an enlarged sectional elevation of one cylinder an coacting parts, substantially onthe line of Fig. 2; and F igs. 6, 7 and 8 are enlaiged detail views of the spreader wing braces.

road car; it is however,

usually of less width than a flat car,

as it is desirable that the spreader wings shall work close to the rails of the-track. provided with front and rear trucks, 1 and 2; tlie'body of the car comprising an underframe composed of suitably connected cent-er and side sills 3 and 4. A floor, 5, is laid on the under frame, extending from end to end thereof; At a point just back of .the front truck I erect the columns, 6, 6. hese columns are secured to opposite sides, of the under frame and extend nearly to the rails. They are cross connected by braces, 7, 7, and are stiffened fore and aft by the inclined braces, 8, 8. l

The column structure is practically the only superstructure on the underframe. It

(as; 5am KING mama AND mm o. oswzaLD F. JORDAN, DECEASED.

. hinge portion of the In general appearance my improved rail spreader resembles an ordinary flat: 7.0

As herein .shown, the car is will be noted that I have dispensedwith the extensive superstructure illustrated in my Patent No. 852,880. By avoidingtlie extensive superstructure, I considerably sime plify the machine, and also make it easier for men to work upon it. I accomplish this desirable simplification by operating the side wings from points beneath the underframe, thereby avoiding the overhead lifting and winding mechanism required in thespecial machine that is illustrated in my previous patent. The details of the operating mechanism will appear hereinafter. The columns serve to hold the large heavy spreader wings,

and as these hang far out from the sides of the car the connections between the wings and the columns are formed by the vertically movable wing hinge posts, 9, 9. On

, referring to Fig. 2, it will be seen that each column is made up of two angle irons 6, 6', and a back plate or cross strap, 6". The post,'9, is held between the parallel column forming angles and slides freely within the column, which latter obviously serves as a guide for the post. For sake of strength and durability, I preferably fornithe posts,

9, of wood and face the sides thereof with plates, 9. I prefer to operate the post, 9, by means of compressed air engines, 19, 10, respectively. The car being equipped with a compressed air reservoir suitably connected to the cylinder of the engines, 10, 10. 10,

10 represent the throttle and regulating valves of the engines.

I employ positive manually operated or adjusted means for fastening the hinge posts in their raised or lowered positions at times when it is not desirable to maintain pressure in the engines 10. These being incidental,

and having appeared in one form in Patent No; 852,880, I have deemed it unnecessary to illustrate them in detail herein.

i The two sides of the car are exactly alike except that the parts occupy reverse positions; this being the case a description of vwing, 12. The pivot pin of the hinge occu'pies a vertical position, and the wing, 12, is pivoted in the part, 11, by means of the horizontal pin, 13. The two pivot pins being thus at right angles allow the wing, 12, to swing in both horizontal and vertical directions. The horizontal movement occurs in the distending and retracting the wing to and from its working position (see Fig. 2), and the vertical movement of the wing occurs when it is desired to incline the same with relation to a horizontal plane, such positions of the wing being required in the formation of convex and concave roadways. The free end of the wing, 12, is sustained and also braced by the adj ustable, telescopic brace, 14, the lower end of which is pivotally attached to the wing at 14, While its upper end, 14", is verticallyv pivoted'to a plate, 9', on the upper. end of the post, 9. Attention is called to the fact that both of the plates, 9 and 9', are provided with flanges which engage the sides of the column and assist in guiding the post therein' As the wing is attached to the post at the hinge and also by the brace, 14; it is obvious that it will rise and fall with the post, 9, under/operation of the engine, 10. and that if need be the latter may be employed to positively hold the p'ving down to its work. Both Figs. 1 and 3 show one of the spreader wings distended, but neither shows the wing lowered to its usual working through these holes.

position. Then at work its lower edge is usually somewhat below the level of the track.

For holding the wing distended against the ballast which. it must displace as the car is moved forward,--,I employ a. plurality of braces a, a, a, a, which extend from the side of the car to the inner side of the wing. I prefer that the brace attachments shall be close to the bottom of the wing, as shown in Fig. 3, as that part of the wing is under the greatest stress when the-machine is at work. Instead of making the braces in the form of rigid struts or beams having their outer ends detachably joined to the wing, (see Patent No. 852,880) I form the braces after the manner of toggle leversand permanently connect their ends to thenving and to the car. From this it will be seen that it is now no longer necessary to loosen, detach and elevate the braces or struts when it is desired to retract the wing; and this present machine is a great improvement over the old machines, being much easier and quicker to operate.- The width of the track of the machine, 2 c. the working scope of the wing, is governed by adjusting the lengths of the braces, it will be noted that each link is composed of telescopically connected or jointed sections, thus each brace is composed of two parts which are pivotally connected at, 7), and each part is composed of two sections, a and at, which are slidably connected. A large number of holes is provided in the sections, and when once they have been adjusted, the parts are fastened .by bolts (not shown) which pass The length of the braces is rarely changed after they are once adjusted, changes being necessary only when the width of the road bed or embankment is materially altered. The wing is provided with pivot blocks, 12, for the several braces. and the outer end of each brace is e nipped with a complementary casting securec to the respective block, 12, by a. horizontal pivot pin, 12". The inner end-of each brace is equipped with an angular socket casting, 15, wherein the section, a, is rigidly secured.

The ends of the castings, 15, are preferably bifurcated and interlocked with similarly formed bearing blocks, 16, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. These bearing blocks are fastened upon brackets, l7, whieh depend from the side of the underframe. They contain round holes, whereas, the castings, '15, contain square holes. Through all the bearing blocks, 16, and the brace members, 15, I extend a square-rocking shaft, 18,Which snugly fits the square holes in the members, 15. This shaft may, obviously rotate freely in the l'iearings, 16, andwhen rotated rocks the members, 15,- and the brace sections that are rigidly attached thereto, thus the inner parts of the several'braces become, in effect,

arms which extend 'from the rocking shaft, 18. I utilize these power arms as the means of opening and closing the togglelevers of whichthey form. parts, and thereby swing 5 the wing 1n or out at will. As best shown to the easy in- Figs. 1 and 3, I prefer to arrange the bearings, 16, and the rocking shaft, 18, in --an angular or inclined position on the side of the car, such position being best suited angular structure constituted by the car, the wing. and the braces. Excessive distortion of, and strains upon the brace members are'avoided by positioning the rocking shaft in this manner, The joints, 6, of the braces are so formed that when the braces are distended the middle'pivot points fall below the pivots at the ends of the braces, the braces thus lock themselves in open or dis- 2!) tended condition and cannot be collapsed or r III or pin, b 1n kneed by pressure'on the wings. The joints, 1;, are shown in detail in Figs. 6, 7 and 8. Each joint is composed of two members, b and b, pivoted by a cross bolt their lower parts. These Cfmembers are provided with stop lugs, b

-' and 6 respectively, braces from sagging too far below their straight line. practice I so form the 9 parts that the two sections of each brace are in alinement when straightened out, such disposition being best suited to resist end thrust. The "reater the pressure on the several members, 6,-

9 and inner sections,

i ends of the three wing the more rigid the braces become. The are connected by the stays, b", which are also adjustable in length, and I preferably connect the first two, 2'. c., the shorter braces by cross braces, 6 These braces being rigidly connected in their outer make the brace structure rigid throughout. It will be noted that the inner and outer. parts of the braces are not of the same length. This difference is brought about by the elevation of the inner long braces and the relative depression of the short brace, due to the angular position of the rocking shaft, 18. By thus proportioning the sections or parts of the braces I adapt them to collapse 0 1nto compact upright positions, as shown at the right-hand side of Fig. 2.

It will now be evident that the system of braces performs the double function of a bracing system and of operating mechanism, and as I have direct controlof the wine through the medium of the rocking sha t I am able after raising the wing to almost instantly swing the wing to avoid heavy obstacles which may be encountered in its path. It is entirely feasible to operate a rocking shaft manually, but for better control and much quicker operation it is possible through the use of a fluid pressure engine, and as indicate'd in the drawings, I prefer to employ one such engine for each wing, 12. Theseresp'ective square shafts, 18,

operation of the generally iil'lr' the piston is forced which prevent the engines clearly appear in Figs. 2, 4, and 5, and comprise horizontally operable pistons with cooperating parts connecting them to Each engine is composedof a cylinder, 19, fixed to the underframe on the side opposite the shaft to be operated. The piston rod, 20, joins a cross-head, 21, shaped'to slide upon the flange of an eye beam, 22, which is transversely secured on the underframe and serves as the crosshead guide. A rocker arm, 23, fastened on the square shaft, 18, is connected with the crosshead by a connecting rod, 24. Suitables pipes, 19, 19, communicate with the ends of the cylinder and lead to a controllingvalve, 19 through which the actuating fluid (usually compressed air) is received and exhausted, the- .When outwardly the rocking shaft, 18, is ositively operated to distend the braces and the wing, '12; opposite movement of the iston causes the braces and the wing to co lapse or fold against the side of the car, as illustrated in Fig. 3. In practice I arrange the valves, 10, and 19', close together so that they may be attended to by one man, who, by working the engines, 10 and 19, may raise or lower, distend or collapse the heavy wing, as required to meet the varying conditions of road building.

tank, 11, being the source of pressure.

It is desirable to secure the wings firmly.

against the sides of the car when the same is being moved from place to place, and as most conveniently adapted to this work I employ the small windlasses, 25, on the rear end of the car. When a wing is raised to its full'heiglit and is swung againstthe side of the car 1t is within reach of the Windlass chain, 25, and the hook, 25", thereof being attached to the end of the wing, the latter may be pulled close up to the side, in which a position I fasten it by means of a hook, or

dog, 26, on the Windlass frame. Once locked" in this manner the wing can only be released by lifting of]? the hook; The best time to adjust the length of the braces is when they are in vertical or folded condition, as they are then readily accessible from the floor of the car.

I have illustrated in these drawings a front end plow of peculiar construction andparticularly designed to operate "with spreader wings of the'kind hereinbefore described. The plow, howcver, forms subject matter of a companion ap lication of even date herewith, and there ore need not be here described in detail. II'dOnot limitiny' present invention to use with this front. end plow or in fact to :the specific construction of the car or spreader itbein .obvious that various modifications thereo willreadily sug est themselves to those who are skilled in the art.

Having thus described any iliuren,iiion,' I

wings herein shown,

claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The improvement herein described, comprising a car, in combination with a spreader wing having its forward end pivoted thereto, a plurality of wing swinging and holding braces joining the wingand car and means for actuating said braces to swing the.wing, substantially as described.

2. The improvement herein described, comprising a car, in combination with a spreader or side plow wing having its forward end pivotally attached to the ear, a plurality of toggle braces of varying lengths joining the car and the wing and means for folding and opening said braces to retract and distend 'the wing, substantially as described.

3. The improvement herein described comprising a car in combination with a spreader or side plow winghaving its for-,

ward end pivotally attached to the car, a plurality oi toggle braces of varying lengths joining the car and the wing, the middle pivots. of said braces being formed to pass centers with the end pivots thereof, stop means co-acting with said middle pivots and limiting the opening movement of respective braces, and means for actuating said braces to di'stend and retract the wing, substantially as described.

4. The improvement herein described, comprising a car in combination with a spreader or side plow wing having its forward end pivoted on the car and having its free end also supported therefrom, mecha- 'nism for raising and lowering said wing upon the car, a toggle lever brace extending between the wing and the car and mechanism on the car for folding and opening said brace to swing the said'wing, substantially as described. 4

5. The improvement herein described, comprising a car, in combination with a spreader wing pivoted upon and vertically movable upon said car, a plurality of toggle lever braces pivotally connected with the car and wing, said braces being substantially parallel one to the other, means connecting the pivot joints of said braces, cross braces affording rigidity to the system of braces, and mechanism on the car for positively actuating the toggle lever braces to swing said wing, substantially as described.

6. The improvement herein described, comprising a car, in combination with a spreader wing having its forward end p votally supported and vertically movable upon the car, suitable means supporting the free end of said wing, a plurality of braces for holding the Wing 'in distended position, a brace operating mechanism on the car, a Windlass on the car for working engagement with the rear end of the-wing to position it at the side of thecar, and meansfor there securing the rear end of the Wing in position, substantially as described.

7. The improvement herein described comprising acar in combination with a spreader wing pivotally attached to the side of the car, a stay brace connecting the free end of the wing to the side of the car, means on the car for raising and lowering said wing, a plurality of substantially parallel toggle lever braces of different lengths arranged between the car and the wing, a rocking shaft on the car for simultaneously aetuating said braces, saidshaft occupying an inclined position on the car, suitable stays joining the braces to one another in series and means on the car for actuating sai rocking shaft, substantially as described.

8. A car in combination with a spreader wing pivotally attached to and vertically movable at the side of said car, and a plu rality of wing swinging and holding braces arranged between the win and the car, substantially as described.

9. The improvement herein described, com prising a car in combination with a pivoted spreader wing, a plurality of Wing swinging and holding braces interposed between the wing and the car, and an engine on the car adapted to simultaneously aeluate said braces, substantially as described.

10. The improvement herein described, eom 'n'ising a car in combination with a wing pivoted to swing substantially horizontally loward'and from the side of the car, and a plurality of wing braces arranged for opcrating said wing, said braces being connected for siniultanemis operation, substantially as described;

11. The improvement herein described, comprising a car, in combination with a wing pivoted thereto, means for raising and lowering said wing, and a system of movable wing swinging and holding braces arranged between the car and the wing, substantially as described.

12. The improvement herein described, comprising a car, in combination-with a wing pivoted thereon, means for raising and lowering said wing, wing swinging and holding braces connected for simultaneous operation, and a brace. operating engine on the car. substantially as described.

13. The improvement herein described, 7

comprising a car, in combination with a spreader Wing pivoted on the side thereof,

an engine for operating said wing vertically, a plurality of suitably braced wmg actuating braces, a brace actuatlng engine on the car, and engine controlling valves upon the car adapted for one man control, substantlally as described.

14. The improvement herein described comprising a carpm combinatlon with a spreader wing pivotally attached to the side of the car, a stay brace connecting the free of the car and a wing swinging and holdingend of the wing to the'side of the car, means on the car for raising and lowering said wing, a plurality of substantially parallel toggle lever braces of different lengths pivotally arranged between the car and the wing, a rocking shaft on" the car connected with said toggle lever braces for simultaneouslyactuating the same to swing said wing and an engine on-the car for locking said shaft, substantially as described.

1'5. The improvement herein described, comprising a car, in combination with a spreader wing pivotally attached to the side brace pivotally connecting the car and the wing and movable from an extended position'to a retracted position substantially parallel with the side of the car to retract the wing, substantially as described.

16. The improvement herein described,

comprising acar in combination with a pivoted spreader wing adapted to foldagainst the side 'of the car and afoldin-g, wing actuating, brace pivoted to said Wing and 0pera'nle to distend and retract the same, sub 'stantially as described.

17. The improvement herein described, comprising a car in combination with a wing pivoted to swing Substantially. horizontally toward and from the side of the car and a collapsible brace arranged for operating said wing, substantially as described.

18. The improvement herein described,

comprising a car, in combination with a pivoted spreader wing adapted to fold against the'side of the car, wing braces piv;v otally connected to said wing andmovable from an extended position to a folded p'osi tion, simultaneously with the folding 'of the wing, substantially as described.

19. The improvement herein described, comprising a car, in combination with a ivoted spreader wing adapted to fold-against the side of the car, collapsible wing braces pivotally connecting the free end ofv the wing with thecar and movable from an extended rigid position to a collapsed position 

